Primary election ballots to be mailed this week

MOSES LAKE - The heated race to fill the seat of retiring Rep. Doc Hastings in the Fourth Congressional District will soon be narrowed down as ballots for the primary election are mailed this week.

Ballots for the Aug. 5 primary election will begin being mailed Wednesday in Grant and Adams counties. The ballots can be returned by mail or dropped off at the Grant County Auditor's Office election department on the second floor of the courthouse in Ephrata by Aug. 5. The department will remain open until 8 p.m. on election day.

In the Fourth Congressional District, the list of 12 candidates will be narrowed down to two, with the top-two vote getters, regardless of party, moving on to the general election. The race includes eight Republican candidates: Ephrata's Gavin Seim; state Sen. Janéa Holmquist, R-Moses Lake; former state legislator and director of the state Department of Agriculture Dan Newhouse; Former NFL tight end and Eltopia farmer Clint Didier, Kennewick attorney George Cicotte; Gordon Allen Pross of Ellensburg, who has run for the seat eight times; Richland's Kevin Midbust; and Glen Stockwell of Ritzville.

Two Democrats will be on the primary election ballot including Estakio Beltran, a former aide to Sen. Maria Cantwell; and small business owner Tony Sandoval, both of Yakima.

Pasco's Richard Wright and Josh Ramirez are both running as Independent candidates.

In Grant County, just one race will be included on the primary ballot as current county Assessor Laure Grammer will face off against Melissa McKnight, a public records officer with the county, and Dave Dinges, a longtime Moses Lake real estate agent.

In Adams County, the District 3 county commissioner seat is the only race on the primary ballot, with incumbent Jeff Stevens facing challengers Jessie Dominguez and Eleanor Brodahl.